2026 World Cup Draw Reaction!

0:14Hello everybody, welcome to the Football Ramble. Here we are. My goodness, we've just managed to pick ourselves up from the floor after what we just witnessed there for the draw of the 2026 World Cup that's happening next summer. I I've never seen anything like it. I Jim, at times words simply failed me. Yeah, well I'll try and pick up from that. I think everybody's been waiting very patiently. They want some words from us. Thank you to everybody who's been sitting there and kind of making us laugh in the comments. We had some technical gremlins and we're up and running now. Thank you for your wit and your patience.

0:56Yeah, we've been doing this show for a long time. We've been laughing at FIFA for a long time, even longer than that. This tops anything they've done before in terms of just how straight up bizarre it was. It's hard to kind of process all of it. It feels like, and I very much expected it to be like this, the actual World Cup draw has sort of been forgotten about. It's a bit of a sideshow to such a bizarre set of events. So many different characters from around the world of sport and entertainment and whatnot. And beyond. And beyond. And it was quite hard to keep track of all of them. So I've listed out everyone I could see.

1:35So I'll do a little recap here. I think it just makes sense to do it all at once. The show was opened by Andrea Bocelli. We're happy with that. We'd love to see that. Yeah, that made you kind of think, okay, Nessam Dorma by the great Andrea Pageli. Okay, you've got my attention. Because at the start of the Euros, when it was all over the place, and they opened with him doing that in Italy, that was really stirring, that was rousing. Did it for Leicester City when they won the league? Of course, as well. It's got heritage. Heritage. Heidi Klum and Kevin Hart were the hosts. Yeah, well, I have to...

2:05Bit of Hollywood glamour. Yeah, Defence Stration FTW, forgive my pronunciation. Who of Marcus and Jim is Heidi Klum, and who is Kevin Hart? I suppose just on height I have to be Kevin Hart I suppose so I'll happily be Heidi Klum yeah indeed I think I'm glamorous indeed I'm also wearing a jumper like Kevin Hart was as he did yes in the ceremony anyway yeah so a bit of Hollywood glamour from them hard to see as he was in shadow but Phobos the god of fear was there as representative of the Chthonic gods of the Greek underworld from sport we of course had Tom Brady Wayne Gretzky Aaron Judge and Shaquille O 'Neal doing part of the actual draw itself.

2:46A bit of further Hollywood glamour was added by the presence of Freddy Krueger. Robbie Williams and Nicole Shirtsing Out obviously duetted on the new FIFA anthem which was just so like Hunger Games and kind of bland and weird and like vaguely threatening. Yeah. Like when someone is trying to intimidate you by smiling at you is how that song felt. And sadly there were some less savoury characters involved as obviously I'm pretty sure I saw Greg Wallace. So there's some really, a real mix of characters there. and that's before we even get to Rio Ferdinand with his big gig oh man sadly those children couldn't coach him well enough I think Wallace would have improved him yeah that's how mad it was yeah honestly I'm still stunned ladies and gentlemen I I mean Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger okay we know Robbie Williams is going to sniff out the World Cup he loves it doesn't he and the thing is this isn't you know Robbie's first taste of this particular biscuit is it Because he did a horrendous song called Party Like a Russian at the opening ceremony of 2018.

3:49And that was, apart from the absence of Childish Gambino, as was pointed out in the comments, that was the main mad thing. Robbie is the least weird thing now, easily. Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally, yeah. I liked his suit. I mean, I wouldn't wear it myself because I don't think I could pull it off. No, he looked fantastic. But he did look great. So, I mean, I did think, where's Pitbull when you need him? But there we are. There we are. I would think that, absolutely.

4:16Dion Dublin, of course, on CoCom said, nobody does it like Robbie Williams. He's the best in the business. Williams did Cole Palmer's celebration, of course, which we hope to see next summer. Very much so. From Cole Palmer, not Robbie Williams. I'll take it from Morgan Rodgers. Or Morgan Rodgers, yeah, any of them. Exactly. Any Englishman. So we've talked about some of the bells and whistles at this FIFA ceremony. What about Gianni Infantino himself? The greatest of all the bells. I mean he seemed to be doing a bit of stand up at one point yeah there was a point where he was doing a sort of really tawdry kind of open mic technique of essentially have we got any Americans in have we got any Canadians in and have we got any Mexicans in and it was really just painful because the whole thing was set up to be like light hearted and funny wasn't it and there were so many jokes thrown at that audience who are who were there for a serious purpose Nigel Dion is not there for a laugh you know they're all there to find out the very serious business of who they're going to play in the world cup which is a serious thing in all of their careers and they just got the tone of it very wrong and like though i've done corporate gigs as a stand-up before right they are really difficult quite often it's a similar situation like that as well where the audience don't want to be entertained you are there as a sort of hindrance to them they're essentially there to get this out of the way get to the buffet whatever it is it's a really really tough gig and i was delighted to to see someone else go through it.

5:37Especially him. At least he wasn't wearing trainers. Yeah, of course. So, you know, as we discussed on an uncut once, it is possible to make trainers look good with a suit, but it needs to be the right type of suit. It needs to be the right type of trainers. You need to put a lot of thought into it. It is not possible if you are Gianni Infantino. I bet you a testy, you can't think of a bigger prat than Gianni Infantino. No, I wouldn't put a testy on the line like that. He's one of the most insidious prats alive today. he's an apologist for some truly horrendous stuff and he's enabling a lot of terrible things he's oh god he was so cringy as well yeah um coffee goblin wonderfully named has said saving pitbull for the halftime show in the final I agree with old goblin there I think that's probably accurate so we had all that we had as you say Gianni Infantino getting the Americans in the room to chant you were sick you were sick and then the Canadians and so on and so forth, which was excruciating to say the least.

6:40Next on the agenda though was of course the main reason why we were all gathered there or why everyone was gathered there and we were gathered around our television screens. No, it wasn't the draw for the first round group stage of the World Cup. It was the presentation of the FIFA Peace Award. The FIFA Peace Award, which is now in our lives. I know we've campaigned for it and amazingly and really unpredictable went to the President Donald Trump. Yep. Big day for Patrick Bateman's personal hero Donald Trump. He gets the peace prize that he so desperately wanted. Why are they doing that? Is there a FIFA bake-off going to happen at halftime of a game at the World Cup?

7:23It was at that moment where all of me just thought bring back Seth Blatter. Oh, Blatter's been talking this week essentially about how much he hates Gianni Infantino. It wasn't really funny. and also I've actually got a quote from him here this will put the wind in your sails when I was suspended by the FIFA ethics committee I gave my mandate to somebody else but I still have the mandate I am still the elected president fighting talk love that fighting talk get him back I mean like I said to you before do you remember when we thought George W. Bush was the worst thing we could ever well the silliest thing silliest thing yeah I mean since then you know he's become quite likeable I think in comparison yeah absolutely well you know so yeah I think I think if Blatter can come roaring back at some point, then maybe we can get behind that.

8:07It doesn't seem to be any time soon, though. But when all's said and done, though, Jim, if you were going to give a FIFA Peace award out, you have to give it to someone who has earned the right. Demanded it. Held a gun to your head and demanded that you recognise how peaceful we are. Oh, my goodness. I don't want to get too political. So let's simply move on. Let's move on from that from all of our lives. We've got the memories. we've got that little video that precluded the presentation, which was stunning, absolutely stunning. Draw your own conclusions, but I'm sure we're all singing from the same hymn sheet there.

8:44And then, of course, we had a ceremonial draw just before the actual draw took place where each host nation or each leader of each host nation came out. Of course, you had the presidents of Mexico and the USA, Donald Trump, of course, being the latter. and then Mark Carney came out as the Prime Minister of Canada. And I honestly thought that was the start of the draw. I thought for crying out loud, thank goodness. Well, it sort of was, wasn't it? It was a little fake, a little misdirect. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But anyway, they did their thing and they buggered off and then it was over really to Rio Ferdinand who I'm sure is now sitting by the bar having a stiff one.

9:27how many FIFA branded wet wipes do you think it would take to sports wash Rio Ferdinand how big are the wet wipes regular wet wipe size you've got to do it he's a man of the people he's a man of the people so he says Oliver Gallimore 3490 says bring back Jack Warner do you know what Oliver I would have thought before any of this jamboree you're absolutely crazy saying that I'm on board yeah and I'm not joking I am on board with that and that's how low we have sunk in this ghastly mess that is world football the whole time I'm watching this just thinking Chuck Blazer would have loved this oh man Chuck Blazer and his was it his dog or his cat that had a flat in the Trump Tower adjacent to his it was yeah definitely a pet some animal that you know it absolutely was I mean I want to read out a text from a message from Luke Moore if I can quickly find it Infantino is one of the most sinister men in the world Blatter just loved a good big lunch luxury travel and some old fashioned, I can't say that word but you know If you do your own you probably won't get it wrong.

10:43Creative accountancy shall we say, this is sinister and he's absolutely right I really don't understand Channel NEM or Channel Nem says Rio is after a Golden Globe slash Oscar for his acting tonight. I mean, I thought he was upstaged by Matthew McConaughey, but Matthew McConaughey, even in that... Well, he's an actor, Jim. But even in that, Matthew McConaughey, I just thought, yeah, he's good, isn't he? Yeah, he is good. Well, it shows, it's like the English actors they had in Squid Game, where you go... The English-speaking actors in Squid Game. Dreadful. Wow, but it makes you go, acting's hard, but proper actors are really good at it.

11:22That is true. I've been lobbying for those actual actors, possibly characters, to be in every kind of prestige drama so we can always go, oh, yeah, yeah. And Rio did feel a bit like that. I did feel sorry for him because that is a massive, difficult gig to be thrown into. It's a very strange booking that isn't entirely his fault. Gary Lineker did it before, didn't he? Which is a great example of the kind of level of experience that it takes for a complicated presenting gig like that. Yeah, whatever you may think of, Lineker or him participating in this World Cup former Golden Boot winner and obviously very very talented presenter on wherever he presents now it's not the BBC anymore is it no he's not going to be back for the World Cup let's move on from Gary Lineker but yes that's the type of presenter I mean I thought in the end bearing in mind the complications of the draw I actually thought Rio did okay.

12:21I think there were points where Samantha Johnson was coaching him and telling him what to do. Yeah. I think that's a major flaw in a driving test. Okay, okay. I'm really, really trying to... I know you are. He played for England, but he's a donut, and he presented as a donut wheel. Yeah, fair enough, fair enough. Well, look, so we had that, and then the draw was made. So let's get to the actual draw because that happened. One could have been forgiven for thinking, is this, you know, the game's gone. The game's absolutely gone. We've not got our game back. Are we even going to bother with it anymore?

12:59Yeah, indeed. I mean, I miss, I miss, they should have had Charlize Theron for her performance for the 2010 World Cup draw when it was going to be in her native South Africa because she got the tone right. She was sort of subtly taking the mick out of it but being very professional at the same time. Yeah. And obviously the FIFA bods, that would have gone under their radar, thinking, oh, she's doing a good job, but was hamming it up quite nicely. But there we are. So the draw happened, and it was – I mean, as again, the complications of it were there to see. Yeah. It's slightly dissatisfying when you have one slot for four potential teams going in it.

13:40You've got the intercontinental players or the European players. So you've got a few little placeholders there. so the placeholders are it's a shame isn't it but I suppose it needs to happen now so that the teams who are qualified can sort out their training bases and all the logistics of it which I'm sure are absolutely huge yes indeed I think we'd all prefer it if it was already better understandably understandably so I also don't love this new thing they're doing where the top four seeds are in theory kept apart until the semi-finals as long as they win their groups they will meet in the semis and I think that's just boring isn't it it makes it a bit more predictable what's fun about that that is quite odd I have to agree with you.

14:16I mean, it does help England in theory, but we shall see. So where should we begin then, Jim? Should we start with England's group? Yeah. Group L, all the way down, group L for LOL. England, of course, were drawn with Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Croatia, England have played them, of course, in recent tournaments. We thought that that was, because when you see some of the team names and these are quite exotic names and so on, you thought Croatia, yeah, we're kind of used to playing them. but Ghana in there is quite a nice one Ghana's fun isn't it yeah I think Croatia and Panama as you say it's like I'm not going to go as far as to say it's boring but it does feel like we've seen this before and you know I mean Croatia are kind of like Belgium are to Wales for us we seem to just attract them at every opportunity and Panama I'm going to stick my neck out and say that that's going to be a relatively comfortable game for England and even so we've seen that relatively recently as well but Ghana is new that's good that's fun I think England will be confident of winning that group.

15:15Well, when England played Ghana at Wembley and Danny Welbert came on, now obviously, you know, he would have to do quite a lot to get in the group. They booed him because he chose to play for England and not Ghana. Well, let's remember that. Yeah. Tuchel should have that, have just those boos up on the dressing room wall somehow. Picture of do it for Danny. Yeah. So yeah, I mean, England, I think Croatia's, you know, that's a difficult game. England are favourites, hence they are one of the seeded teams, of course. So Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Harry Kane will be licking his lips with Panama because, of course, he scored a hat-trick.

15:43One of them, one of the most fortuitous goals you will ever see. But it propelled him to win the Golden Boots at the 2018 World Cup. He'll fancy that again. So England are in there, in the last group, as we say, L for last. I think, again, you're never going to get a ridiculously easy group because these are the best teams in the world. But of course, with that extended World Cup to 48 teams, you're thinking the groups might be a little bit, there's maybe one or two more gimmies in there. But I think that that group L that England are in right now, that could have been from a previous World Cup.

16:25Yeah, absolutely. I think. And as you've already mentioned, the Panama were in there as well.

16:39We turn our attentions though to the Bonnie Scots This was so predictable for me World Cup 98 vibes for Scotland here They're in with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti and of course they were in with Brazil and Morocco in the 1998 World Cup which was the last time they were drawn I wondered if they were going to get Norway as well to complete it but when the draw was happening I was saying Scotland are going to be in here. I don't think there's any group that you can really say is a group of death. Maybe that's the difference between a 48-team World Cup and a 32-team World Cup. Definitely a 24-team World Cup, but you're going back donkey's years.

17:13And those narratives will emerge, right? They naturally do. It's never necessarily how you expect it will be at the start. Yeah, I mean, Group E, Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, that's a bit on the tasty side. Maybe Group I is the group of death. with France, Senegal and Norway then obviously it's determined who's going to come through that playoff. I think Group I actually. I've rode back on that. I was desperate for England not to get Senegal after they did what they did to us in Nottingham of course. Still not over that. But I would like to think England have improved since then. But anyway, happy to avoid them.

17:46France, Norway is tasty. Yes. That is going to be brilliant. See if that was in qualification Norway would be looking at that at four points. It's not in qualification is it? It's in the World Cup probably. So Group C. Scotland in with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti they're opening games against Haiti yeah I mean I think they'll take that absolutely although those old enough to remember World Cup 90 in Costa Rica but then that was a 24 team World Cup and if you qualify you're a decent side but nonsense aside remember that the 8th best third place teams go through from the groups because you've got an extra round in this World Cup so I mean as if it's not tiring enough as it is in that heat as well.

18:29It feels like a real complacency trap that though, doesn't it? You've got to be very careful not to sort of mentally lean on that too much. Yes. And this is a group where, you know, just if you don't get that result against Haiti, which I think Scotland will, then you're really up against it. Flux Deluxe One is saying McTominay is lobbying Alison from the halfway line and baiting Bruno into a red card. I mean, everyone's doing that lately. Yeah. We're playing on the brain. Yeah, I love it. Hopefully that trend will still be in full flow by then. Yeah. Angus 6144, come on the bonnie! Come on the bonnie!

19:01That's all he's got to say there. With Scotland in that group, just got to get off to a winning start there. I think they will, and can you imagine what that's going to be like? That's it. The expectation and the joy at that point. Totally. Your first game is so crucial because those three points, four points, is a huge step. to qualifying for the next phase. I know I'm kind of talking Scotland down here, but they're going to be second favourites against Brazil and you would say Morocco as well. Morocco went all the way to the semi-final. I know that will be four years prior to this World Cup, but they're still a very, very good side.

19:42Sorry, Oscars, Ray3545. Thank goodness the Scotland discussion is about who England want to avoid. Well, we moved on from that, but I think Scotland, they'll look at that and they'll think, okay, Haiti, that is a chance to get a win there yeah and I think they can you know obviously Brazil they're going to be massive second favourites against as well but I think why not look at Morocco and go you know what we've just got bloody the noses here yeah totally even a draw but the thing is though playing Brazil at a World Cup it's amazing come on it's what you want right come on the five times winners yeah exactly I know we always say that Mexico are the most World Cup team but like it's actually Brazil isn't it yeah that's the most glamorous thing yeah yeah yeah I think I think that's I I think it's a draw that captures the imagination because Haiti is, you know, again, it's the other side of the world.

20:31Morocco, partly because of what they did in the previous World Cup. But I think, again, going back to 98, Scotland, you know, they beat Scotland. Was it 3-0 off the top of my head? They effectively put them out of the tournament. They owe them one for that. And of course, Brazil, you know. It's a great group. It's a great World Cup group. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Four continents represented on it. Yes, indeed. I mean Tom Hines 4380 says Scotland's group on average seems easier than England's group I'm not sure I agree with that No there's no Brazil in England's group I should count England as Brazil but we're not playing ourselves I don't think you do England are the seeded side of course I mean old Oscar says I'm buzzing for Brazil again get John Collins on to get the penalty that would be nice so I think you know I think that's a really really good group for Scotland excuse me what about Group A Mexico in there with South Africa the Korea Republic or South Korea as we affectionately call them here Jim and then you've got one of the European sides from the one of the playoffs will go into that group what did you make of that one because that's got a lovely World Cup vibe about it oh massively yeah again because it's so truly global isn't it I mean you know Mexico one of the hosts as we've mentioned one of the most World Cup teams.

21:48South Korea feel like that as well. They're a mainstay and they're always very enjoyable. I guess South Africa, previous host as well. There's a lot of heritage here. I think this is going to be a really fun one actually. Yeah, and also we are going to see a repeat of the first game at the 2010 World Cup which was South Africa hosting Mexico. Mexico will now host Bafana Bafana. Played the long game, haven't they? Remember us. Well, I mean, it was a one-all draw in that game. Two lovely goals, particularly the South Africa one. and that's what we want in this World Cup he won't be there and if he is my goodness I'll have whatever he's drinking Canada as well they've let's be honest Switzerland have played a blinder here haven't they yeah Group B Canada one of the European playoff sides Qatar and Switzerland Switzerland are a decent side I think any team wanted Canada in their group didn't they yeah maybe but I think is that disrespectful to Jesse Marsh's men I think hosts are always tricky though, right?

22:47Or have the potential to always be tricky. I guess that's changed over time. The aforementioned South Africa world, Jim. Well, indeed, yeah. I think probably of the host, Canada are the one that you would want the most, but, you know, it's a tricky group potentially for whoever comes into it. I think Qatar you would expect to kind of be able to overcome, I would think. I know they won the Asian Cup. Yes. Well, I mean, it could be Wales, it could be Northern Ireland, it could be Italy, it could be Bosnia, Herzegovina, and just to make sure all bases are covered there. I would love it to be one of the UK sides, of course.

23:22If it is Wales, then Craig Bellamy will have got his wish because Wales, of course, played Canada in Swansea back in September. And Craig Bellamy wasn't best pleased with the way Canada celebrated to the point of he said, I see them celebrating at the end. And I'm like, I hope I see you at the World Cup. I hope I see you again. Come on. There he is. There is the man. There is a golf club running through that man like a stick of rock. I hope that you've said he's got his wish there. I wonder how many revenge-based wishes Craig Bellamy has. I imagine it's a lot. I mean, I think they are fewer now than what they were when he was a player.

23:59But harder to act on. Yes. So probably a bit more intense. That's very, very true. So if Wales do qualify or Northern Ireland, indeed, it would be lovely to see one of them there. That would be the group they would be in, of course. it would be quite tricky though for the host Canada if Italy were, but I mean I think any team the reason why Italy are in the playoffs is because they were hammered by Norway for crying out loud, so I don't think Wales have got anything to be scared about or indeed Northern Ireland who play them of course, but in that Group A I should say that sorry, yes in Group A I should say that that could be where Ireland finish They've got to get the better of Czechia and then Denmark or North Macedonia.

24:43So if Ireland were to get to the World Cup, they would be in Group A with Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. Which again, you know, we just talked about that group. It wouldn't be the worst. It's a real carrot that's dangled in front of Troy Parrott. Troy Parrott wants to grab the carrot. A carrot for Parrott. Yeah, there you go. Yeah, I mean, again, it's a really, really fun group to go into. it's also one where everyone's tricky but no one's Brazil so that's one way you think you know what if we just turn up and give a good account of ourselves we might sneak through there again especially with some of the third place teams going through I know that is the complacency trap we've spoken about but yeah but it's still there it'd be nice to see Ireland back in North America in a World Cup as well sweating their what's this off like every other team particularly England will be doing as well Thoughts of Bravery has said Irish fans in Mexico oh lovely time the tequila will be flowing I'd imagine if that was the case if Ireland get there we may need to give John Aldridge a bell to save us from the Mexican heat that's John Hurley there yeah the weather yeah the weather well it's not going to be every game is it there will be later games that hopefully won't be as bad when you say later like what in like October no I mean like sort of later in the evening when the sun isn't quite as high in the sky and quite as it's going to be It's going to be tough.

26:09It really is. I mean, Thomas Tuchel is talking about keeping the substitutes in the dressing rooms, isn't he? And that actually seems like a really practical solution to the whole thing. So, yeah, it's going to be an interesting one. Mauricio Pochettino's people, the US of A, of course, are in Group D with Paraguay, Australia, and potentially Slovakia, Kosovo, Turkey, or Romania. Not a terrible group for the US. run me through them again I've already forgotten the teams so the United States of America Paraguay Paraguay Australia oh yes and some European someone else some European again that's a really world cup group that's really enjoyably global yeah I agree with you have Paraguay and Australia ever had a reason for beef we don't know maybe this will be it that's one of the things that's so brilliant about it they do beef well I think both of the countries I would think so Yeah, it's just because maybe they're English-speaking nations, but the US and Australia.

27:12That's an interesting game. I don't think any team in that group will be scared of another side. No. I once had an Australian flatmate. She told me she met an American tourist in a walkabout who thought Australia was part of California. Yeah. Chance to prove her. Yeah, chance to put themselves on the map. By the way, we're not part of you. Do you think in the Oval Office they've got one of those old maps that doesn't include Australia? I can't find this country. Where is this? It's Australia. We don't know where it is. It just appears. Moving on from that. Group F. Netherlands versus Japan. That one is, as Fisolution2221 says, it's tricky.

28:03It's tricky. Netherlands and Japan. that feels World Cup-y to me. It does. The Shogun Derby. Yes, that feels potential. 2-2, 3-3, 3-2 goals, I'm thinking, Jim, on that one. Are you basing that on Virgil van Dijk's current performances? If he takes that form to the World Cup, that'll be delightful. Maybe I subconsciously am. Well, that'd be a big win for Pete, wouldn't it? It'd be a huge win. Getting one over on Virgil van Dijk? Oh, yes, I think so. There's certain fixtures that you look at and you think, yeah, that's what it's been. I mean, in Group E, when Germany play Ivory Coast, I'm thinking there's something tasty about that.

28:42I mean, Ivory Coast, I remember when they first qualified for the World Cup. And off the top of my head, was it in 2006 they first qualified? Forgive me if that's wrong. It was definitely in the noughties. And they were in such a humdinger of a group. They were in with Argentina and the Netherlands. They were there opening two fixtures in the World Cup. And they had such a great side. and I think they lost both games 2-1 and did really well but they were out because in those days that was it of course you lose your first two games and 99 times at 100 that's you gone and then in 2010 they were in an absolutely shocking group as well with was it Portugal and Brazil so I feel that again with Ivory Coast yes that it's not the golden generation that obviously they had before but they're one of those sides particularly African side where you remember some of the names from the past and they've had some sort of recent success with a recent African Cup of Nations win and so on and you think, yeah, that's lovely to have them back in there.

29:39And Ecuador as well though. I mean, Ecuador I actually, I was in the country gym when they first qualified for a World Cup. Saw the scenes of celebration around Quito. Yeah, it was very good. I bought a replica top which, you know, made me... Did it make it home? It did make it home actually, yeah. I felt like I fitted in for about three seconds and I was just like what on earth am I doing here? Yeah, I'm not commit to this. You know what, but everyone still, we were all slapping high fives. But Ecuador, they're a fun team. They're a tasty team. Yeah, that's going to be a really good group. It's one of those ones where, because obviously Curacao are the other team in that group.

30:13And you look at that and in some ways you go, oh, they've got some tough games in there. But like, Curacao aren't going to win the World Cup. Nobody in that team thinks they are. It is about these sort of fixtures for them, right? Yes. And them testing themselves. And this is brilliant. Hussam Sultan says, you can see Germany dropping points against Curacao. Yes, that's the spirit. We can dream, fuck them. Well, they've got the big dick advocate in charge. Well, indeed. The man knows his way around the German football team. That sounds weird. He knows his way around an upset. And the fact is that Kurosawa were in there, which is wonderful stuff.

30:47So the World Cup juices are flowing, Jim, aren't they? You're forgetting about all the other weird stuff at the same time, aren't you? Just looking at the names of the teams. Oh, man. I can't believe, right, that Heidi Klum obviously looked great, a very shiny dress. Rio nice double-breasted jacket yeah who else did you have Gianni Infantino you know looked very pristine Donald Trump in his suit no he didn't no he didn't he looked like a slimy he was a slimy slug but I'm sure it was an expensive suit yeah sure okay I'd say Robbie Williams I think you know his pop style best looked great so did Nicole Scherzinger Kevin Hart wearing a jumper yeah poor it's just a little money goblin isn't he like how much is enough Kevin there was a point where he made a joke like pitching to Gianni Infantino for work when the tournament starts.

31:32You do enough work. Oh dear. I think you turned to me and said, how much is enough given? There is no amount that's enough, it would seem. Oh, what is he doing? Come on. Yeah. Anyway. Group G. Belgium are in there. They're in there with Iran. I wanted Iran again. They gave us six goals last time. See, I'm, yeah, I differ from you on that. I know that you want to just smash everybody and get out of the group and then charge towards the final. Call me old-fashioned. You want to storm the capital of Group L and just get out of there. But yeah, I'm glad to have... I prefer not to meet teams we've seen too many times before.

32:15Okay, fair enough. But Egypt are in there as well. On Mosala's current form, I don't think they'll be too worried, will they? Nah. That's an interesting group as well because obviously Belgium, you would think, will win that and Egypt, you'd expect, would be the second team. But Egypt can flatter to deceive quite a bit on the international stage. I know they've won the AFCON a lot, but they've also been heavy favourites to win it a lot and have just kind of disappointed. So I think that's a chance for Iran and New Zealand to look at that and go, you know what? Maybe we can sneak out of the group here.

32:47Well, maybe they can. I mean, we'll certainly find out how they're good at African Cup of Nations stuff in the coming weeks. Group H Spain in there with Cape Verde Saudi Arabia and Uruguay Spain Uruguay is a nice one yeah that is a that is a tricky old group if you're you know Cape Verde or Saudi Arabia obviously Saudi Arabia beat Argentina in the last World Cup so you know they've got a bit of pedigree when it comes to causing upsets but you that'll teach Argentina won't it yeah well that that spurred them on to go and win the World Cup obviously battle and war leap to mind now we've got a message here from James Cross 8967 he says I live in Mexico, it'll be the coolest of the three countries and he's talking about the temperature rather than the vibes and he says the summer heat the summer here is April, May, start of June late 20s, early 30s but not super humid okay well that's news to me James but I'll take your word for it, you're the one who lives there so we're going to find out tomorrow of course a little bit more about the fixtures and the timings and all that kind of stuff.

33:52We've already mentioned Group I, France, Senegal, one of the intercontinental winners and Norway. That's a tough group. That's a tasty one because we know Senegal are decent. France are obviously the seeded team and Norway can really do something at this World Cup. I think we're all excited about Norway. I'm glad they've got a test in the group as well. As fun as it would be to see them just kind of essentially as the favourites in their group. The way the seedings work, that was never likely to be the case. and France is a big... It's kind of a shame it's a European team, isn't it? As the other big team.

34:26No, no, no, it's not another European side. I think it would be one of the intercontinental sides. Oh, no, I meant that France are the big test of Norway. Oh, I see what you mean. From those pots, yeah. Yes, yes, yes. But, you know, this is everybody's kind of, I suppose, second priority in terms of the narrative of the tournament, right? You want to see how your own team gets on, but this Norway team is freakishly good. kind of out of nowhere. Is this the new Belgium? They absolutely are, aren't they? But I think this is a more golden generation than the Belgium's golden generation. Oh, I don't know about that.

35:00But Haaland, though. Haaland. Belgium didn't have a player that compares to that. They had Kevin De Bruyne. They did, but I don't think it's on the same level. I think Belgium had a better side across the board. This is the best striker in the world. Yeah. He's a goal machine. He is a goal machine. And like, you know, international tournaments, they can be quite straightforward, right? Get the ball to the big lad up top is not a bad... it's not a bad strategy in a lot of games and yeah I'm excited about that Norway obviously haven't been in the World Cup since 1998 much like Scotland well Tockel Ticker has said Egypt have never won a game at the World Cup when you were talking Egypt up but we're talking Norway up and it's been a long time since they've done anything at the World Cup and they did beat Brazil in that World Cup it doesn't count for anything old Tockel but your your point is fine I mean you also say Tockel Ticker has come straight back saying Norway are very, very weak.

35:50Scotland would beat them. Oh, hey. Norway are very, very weak. Not sure that's the case. Where are you from, sir?

36:04Pal on Nutsack has said, better hope England don't play in Texas, especially Houston. 90 to 110 degrees and humid. If you're more au fait with Celsius than Fahrenheit, trust me, that is bloody, bloody hot. Yeah, I mean, that is something we're not factoring in when looking at the teams obviously we all know that England are struggling in that sort of heat but yeah actually that is a leveler right simple equation if you want to get to Celsius to Fahrenheit which is pretty accurate double it and add 30 I see do the reverse if you want to go from Fahrenheit to Celsius and do your own maths because after that that ceremony I can't add two numbers together quite frankly right we've got a couple more groups to talk about Argentina, Algeria, Austria and Jordan lovely to see Jordan in there what can they do are they going to get Ari Ari Redknapp back for it I would be very surprised if between now and then that would happen surely we've got some sort of I mean it's not going to be him and them but some kind of journeyman manager usually pops up at the tournament in the last minute there's a bit of disarray and somebody goes I'm just saying the big Sam Allardyce is waiting in the wings this is his chance as it is every time of course but nice to see Ralph Rangnick in Austria Spex he was at the ceremony obviously as well one of the many people we were spotting in the dark there yeah I mean they've been very good in qualifying as well they'll be looking at that as a kind of you know doable group it's not a group of death is it so it's not a group of death it's but they've got some tricky fixtures always tricky I think tricky is the word isn't it to try all of the groups football's hard I mean is Uzbekistan a tricky opponent for Portugal than Group K because I'm pretty sure Roberto Martinez raised a little wry smile.

37:48But Colombia, though, Jim. Colombia. That is a battle, isn't it? Yes. Always a battle. Yeah, I think Portugal-Colombia is a lovely one. That's World Cup. I feel like... That's classic World Cup. I feel like John Duran might get a hat-trick against Uzbekistan and put himself in a good position to be the top scorer in the World Cup. I just feel like I had a vision there. I can see that happening. Okay. So how are you feeling generally, Jim? We've got the draw under our belts. we've seen Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger perform we saw the village people finish it all off of course Gianni Infantino is the real winner yeah I feel sort of baffled by it the village people was interesting I want to sort of explain a few things about the situation with them to you so the YMCA has been a sort of favourite of Donald Trump for a long time and that's meant it's become a bit of a MAGA anthem which means it's kind of got a bit of a second life on streaming and they're presumably making quite a bit of money out of it.

38:46And they want to protect this new revenue stream. So Victor Willis, who's one of the singers in The Village People and wrote the lyrics for YMCA, said last year, Come January 2025, my wife will start suing each and every news organisation that falsely refers to YMCA either in their headlines or alluded to in the base of the story that YMCA is somehow a gay anthem because such notion is based solely on the song's lyrics alluding to illicit activity for which it does not. The album that is from was called Cruisin'. He is, like, it's so funny. He's just, like, essentially going, Trump doesn't know that this is like a gay anthem, does he?

39:27Oh, just, he can't find out. He cannot find out. We are coining it in. He's gone on the offensive with that. Really, really funny, really strange. But how am I feeling about it in general? I've never been so confused by a World Cup really because you have to look back to the amazing scenes in Ireland's game and in Scotland's game in the qualification to remember how important the World Cup is to people and what a brilliant thing it can be and the absolute adrenaline hit of feeling that it can give you and I'm excited about that part of it part of me keeps thinking I'm not sure I'm looking forward to this World Cup in the way that I have previous ones because I think it's a cumulative effect of how Qatar was and how Russia was as well and how you're constantly thinking, God, some of the worst people have truly got their claws into football and it's only getting worse and it becomes kind of more and more draining.

40:17But we all know what it's like when you get there. The tournament's amazing. Both of those tournaments I've just mentioned were brilliant. So I'm looking forward to it, but I expect my excitement to arrive later. Yes. Could it arrive in the quarterfinals? Because if Portugal and Argentina win their groups and then win their games in the round of 32 because we have that extra round in there, we'd potentially get Ronaldo versus Messi in the quarterfinals. Do we want that now? Might that just feel like a bit late? It'd be a bit of a throwback, wouldn't it? It would, yeah. But my goodness, all eyes would be on it.

40:49It would. They would. Yes. But look, very exciting to see the World Cup draw. It's now, you wait four years for this beautiful tournament to come along. And I know Infantino is a dreadful piece of work. And I know, yes, absolutely, Flux Deluxe and defence registration. What about Childish Gambino? He wasn't there. Pete Donaldson's disappointed again. We've had all that nonsense. But when you see some of the ties, when you see who England are playing in their group or your respective teams, it just gets you going, doesn't it, in a way, you know. And before that, we've got Christmas. Do you know what I mean?

41:31Yeah, which is like the World Cup. Yeah, you've got Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, May Day, if that's more your cup of tea. Pancake Day. Never forget Pancake Day. We've got all of that until the World Cup comes along in North America next year. Oh, man. Why did Kevin Hart wear a jumper? Thanks for joining us, everybody. We're back on Monday with Luke to react to all the Premier League action and much, much more. And I'll tell you something. The comments he was making on our Ramble WhatsApp group about that ceremony. Yeah, he's got some things to say. It's just as well he wasn't here because we would have never, ever got to some of these ties that we've just been talking about, which have captured our World Cup imagination.

42:13But I'm sure that he will have more to say on this, and I'm sure we will too, on Monday at the Football Ramble. Have a lovely weekend. Get your pit bull on. He wasn't there, but I'm sure he'll be there when the tournament comes around. If not, then we're all going on strike. Absolute pleasure. Come on, England, and all the teams that you support. See you Monday for the Football Ramble. He's been Jim Campbell. I've been Marcus Spiller. Good night. God bless.